Prevalence of hearing loss among high risk newborns hospitalized in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Background: American pediatric Association proposes to screen all neonates with Oto-Acoustic Emission (OAE) . In developing countries, because of several limitations, health policy makers recommend to screen only in high risk patients. This study is performed with the aim to screen hearing loss in 950 high risk newborns hospitalized in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University using the OAE test. Methods: A total of 950 neonates hospitalized in the Neonatal and NICU wards of Vali-e-Asr, Shariati, Medical Center and Bahrami Hospitals during the years 2004-2006 who showed at least one risk factor using TEOAE hearing test were enrolled into this cross-sectional descriptive analytical study and were diagnosed with mild deafness and total deafness. Blood exchange due to hyperbillirubinemia, septicemia, congenital heart disease, the fifth minute apgar scores below six, PROM more than six hours , epilepsia, need to NICU more than five hours, pneumonia and Oto-Toxic drugs were considered as risk factors. Data was past medical history, current disease, admission cause, sign & symptoms and complications of disease. Results: Multivariate logistic regression and paired t-test showed that blood exchange, low birth weight and low first minute Apgar scores had the highest independent risk for hearing loss among newborn. Conclusion: Despite of the low prevalence of neonatal hearing loss, screening of hearing loss at early stages is important. Abstract